Wilcox (pictured), the reigning USHL Goaltender of the Week, got another start for the Storm and got another first star award. Unofficially thatâ€™s about seven first stars in the last month. Heâ€™s given up only three goals in his last three games while stopping 100 shots. Thatâ€™s pretty good. On Friday Wilcox stopped 28 of 29 against conference-leading Omaha. Tri-City stayed in fifth in the West with the two points, but put four points between them and seventh place Des Moines for the final playoff spot. The top-6 teams make the postseason in each conference.

Saint John opened defense of their Memorial Cup title with a 13-4 thrashing of Cape Breton. The Sea Dogs outshot the Screaming Eagles 50-19 in the game. Cape Breton actually held a 2-1 lead midway through the first period before Saint John turned up the heat. Gauthier had four points in the game, which tied his playoff high set last year in 18 games. Impressive. Sharks first rounder (traded to Wild) and former Boston University star Charlie Coyle had a hat trick and three assists for the Sea Dogs. Also impressive. Game 2 is Saturday night.

The Armada took a commanding 2-0 series lead on Gatineau with a 5-1 win on Friday. They beat the Olympiques 7-2 in the series opener on Thursday. Janosik was scoreless and minus-4 in that game for the 14th seed.

Namestnikov scored what turned out to be the game winning goal in the first period off a great individual effort. He added a third period power play assist to help Michael Houser (undrafted) and the Eastâ€™s top seed shut out Windsor in Game 1 of their opening round series, 3-0. Game 2 is Saturday. Namestnikov had five points in six playoff games last season.

Bruins first rounder Dougie Hamilton had a goal and an assist to earn first star honors as top-seeded Niagara took Game 2 vs. Oshawa, 6-1. They beat the Gens 8-2 on Thursday in Game 1 in St. Catherines.